As a seasoned cruiser, sailing into the port of Stockholm had to be my most fascinating passage to date. I rose early and was treated to spectacular scenes of small villages, islands, inlets and wooded areas on the long pilotage before we arrived at our berth.

During the time we visited Stockholm my Daughter Olivia was still classed as a toddler so we were content just to take the city at our leisure and do our own thing. We wanted to enjoy the fresh air and of course the amazing tulips in an array of colors. Our first stop was a big green open space for Olivia to stretch her legs and exercise her lungs. There are gardens everywhere in Stockholm which made for lovely memories and an easy stroll. We walked and explored gardens for miles before purchasing a ticket for a “Hop on, Hop off” tourist bus into the city. By time we boarded the bus Olivia was sound asleep in her pushchair so we were able to plug in our provided headphones and listen to the audio about the various tourist stops whilst taking in the sights before our next stop. read more

I always keep an eye out for traditional hand made wooden toys on our travels. The price for such beautiful trinkets always amazes me.
Look at these adorable pencils we purchased for our toddler at around 80 pence each. I adore them so much that I almost did not want to part with them!
We named them silly names and scribbled away. A precious purchase that will bring many happy memories.

The Kupetz Eliseevs project involves restoring of one of the oldest and most famous food stores in the world. Construction of the main building started in 1902, however the trading company itself dates back to 1857.
Designed by the families architect G.V Baranovsky, this elegant and opulent food shop was unique and soon became recognised as one of the greatest art nouveau architectural works of the 20th century.
Today it sits amongst one of the most important historical places of history in St Petersburg.
I could have easily spent a day browsing over the finest meats, mature cheeses and arcipluvian desserts. A stunning food hall that offers an array of fine dining in the form of bite size luxuries.read more